Substrate-related-operation performing apparatus and substrate-related-operation performing system

ABSTRACT

A component mounting system and apparatus are provided that include a component mounting apparatus with a substrate holding device, a component supplying device, a head support portion, a mounting head and a forcing means. The mounting head is detachably attached to the head support portion. The mounting head of the system has a recording medium in which information relating to the mounting head is recorded. The system has an external storage portion that stores a plurality of batches of information relating to a plurality of mounting heads. The system further includes a recognizing portion that obtains and recognizes information from the external storage corresponding to the mounting head that is attached to the support portion.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/535,895, filed on May 23, 2005, which is a national stage ofPCT/JP03/014757 filed Nov. 19, 2003, and which claims priority toJapanese Application No. 2002-337739 filed on Nov. 21, 2002 and JapaneseApplication No. 2003-128348 filed on May 6, 2003. The entire disclosuresof the prior applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a substrate-related-operationperforming apparatus that performs an operation related to a circuitsubstrate that is combined with a circuit component to provide anelectronic circuit, and particularly to a substrate-related-operationperforming apparatus including an operation performing head thatperforms an operation.

BACKGROUND ART

A substrate-related-operation performing apparatus is an apparatus thatperforms an operation related to a circuit substrate constituting anelectronic circuit, and there are known various sorts ofsubstrate-related-operation performing apparatuses, such as a solderprinting apparatus, an adhesive applying apparatus, a component mountingapparatus, or an inspecting apparatus that inspects results of aperformed operation. As a sort of substrate-related-operation performingapparatus, there is known an apparatus of a type that includes, as amain element thereof to perform an operation, an operation performinghead that is moved relative to a circuit substrate so as to perform theoperation. Each of the above-indicated adhesive applying apparatus, thecomponent mounting apparatus, and the inspecting apparatus is an exampleof the apparatus of that type. In particular, the component mountingapparatus includes, as the operation performing head thereof, a mountinghead that employs, as a component holding tool thereof, a suction nozzlethat takes a component from a component supplying device and mounts thecomponent on a surface of a circuit substrate. Concerning the operationperforming head, for example, Japanese Patent Application PublicationNo. 6-104596 discloses the art of judging, when an arbitrary one of aplurality of suction nozzles is selected and attached to an operationperforming head, whether the selected and attached suction nozzle is anappropriate one.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

As disclosed by the above-indicated patent document, it is widelypracticed to prepare a plurality of elements, such as a plurality ofsuction nozzles, each of which can be detachably attached as aconstituent element of an operation performing head, that is, which canbe replaced with each other on the operation performing head. Forexample, in the case where a plurality of suction nozzles which can bereplaced with each other are prepared, it is possible to attachdetachably an appropriate one of the suction nozzles, depending upon asort of a circuit substrate and/or a sort of circuit components to bemounted on the circuit substrate. In this case, all the suction nozzlescan be advantageously subjected to maintenance. In addition, sincevarious sorts of suction nozzles can be detachably attached, asubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus can find itsapplications in a wider scope. However, there has conventionally beenproposed no technique of using a plurality of operation performing headsthat can each be detachably attached, i.e., can be replaced with eachother.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to achieve at leastone of various advantages, such as a high usability or a wideapplicability, that are required for a substrate-related-operationperforming apparatus. This object may be achieved according to any ofthe following modes of the present invention in the form of asubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus, an operationperforming head for use with a substrate-related-operation performingapparatus, a substrate-related-operation performing system, and anoperation-performing-head-use preparing program, each of which isnumbered like the appended claims and may depend from the other mode ormodes, where appropriate, to indicate and clarify possible combinationsof technical features. It is, however, to be understood that the presentinvention is not limited to the technical features or any combinationsthereof that will be described below for illustrative purposes only. Itis to be further understood that a plurality of features included in anyone of the following modes of the invention are not necessarily providedaltogether, and that the invention may be embodied without at least oneof the features described with respect to each of the modes.

(1) A substrate-related-operation performing apparatus, characterized bycomprising an operation performing head which is detachably attached tothe apparatus, and operating, in a state in which the operationperforming head is attached to the apparatus, the operation performinghead, and thereby performing an operation related to a circuitsubstrate.

The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus in accordance withthe present invention includes an operation performing head, and ischaracterized in that the operation performing head is detachablyattached to the apparatus. The substrate-related-operation performingapparatus is not limited to any particular sorts so long as it includesan operation performing head. For example, the present invention isapplicable to various sorts of substrate-related-operation performingapparatuses, such as a component mounting apparatus including a mountinghead; an adhesive applying apparatus including an applying head; or aninspection performing apparatus including an inspecting head. Here, theoperation performing head is defined as a constituent element of thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus that performs a mainportion of an operation performed by the apparatus; for example, anelement that is moved relative to a circuit substrate. Thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus may additionallyinclude a moving device that moves the operation performing headrelative to the circuit substrate. In this case, the operationperforming head in accordance with the present invention may be definedas a head that is detachably attached to the moving device. According tothe present invention, the operation performing head per se isdetachably attached to the apparatus, and this feature is distinguishedfrom a conventional technique wherein a constituent element of anoperation performing head is detachably attached to the head. The phrase“detachably attached” means that the operation performing head can beeasily attached and detached to and from the apparatus, for example,without using a tool. In short, that phrase means that the head can beattached or detached at one touch. Since the operation performing headcan be detachably attached, the usability of thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus can be improved,because, e.g., the apparatus can be easily subjected to maintenance.

(2) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according tothe mode (1), further comprising a substrate holding device which fixesand holds the circuit substrate; and a component supplying device whichsupplies a plurality of circuit components, wherein the operationperforming head comprises a mounting head which holds each of thecircuit components supplied by the component supplying device, takessaid each circuit component from the component supplying device, andmounts said each circuit component on a surface of the circuit substratefixed and held by the substrate holding device, and accordingly thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus functions as acomponent mounting apparatus.

According to this mode, the substrate-related-operation performingapparatus functions as a component mounting apparatus. Generally, thecomponent mounting apparatus includes a component holding device such asa suction nozzle, and optionally includes an elevating and loweringdevice that elevates and lowers the component holding device, and arotating device that rotates the component holding device about an axisline thereof. The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus inaccordance with the present invention is particularly advantageous forthe case where a mounting head including the component holding device,the elevating and lowering device, and the rotating device is detachablyattached. The mounting head including those devices is a preciseelement. Therefore, if the mounting head can be detachably attached tothe apparatus, the head can often be checked for its maintenance. Inmany cases, the component mounting apparatus includes an X-Y-robot-typehead moving device that moves the operation performing head along aplane. In the case where the present invention is applied to thecomponent mounting apparatus, the operation performing head isdetachably attached to the head moving device.

(3) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according tothe mode (1) or (2), wherein an arbitrarily selected one of a pluralityof operation performing heads is attachable, as said operationperforming head, to the apparatus.

A mode in which a current operation performing head can be replaced withanother operation performing head is readable on the present mode. Forexample, when one operation performing head is subjected to maintenance,another operation performing head can be attached to the apparatus so asto perform an operation. This contributes to improving not only theusability of the apparatus but also an operation efficiency of the same.The present mode encompasses not only a mode in which a plurality ofoperation performing heads having an identical construction can bereplaced with each other, but also a mode in which a plurality ofoperation performing heads having respective different constructions canbe replaced with each other.

(4) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according tothe mode (3), wherein the operation performing heads have respectivedifferent constructions, and an arbitrarily selected one of theoperation performing heads having the respective different constructionsis attachable, as said operation performing head, to the apparatus.

According to the present mode, a plurality of operation performing headshaving different constructions can be replaced with each other. Forexample, two operation performing heads that perform different sorts ofoperations can be replaced with each other. The operation performingheads that perform the different sorts of operations may include amounting head that performs a component mounting operation; an applyinghead that performs an adhesive applying operation; and an inspectinghead that performs an inspecting operation. In the case where operationperforming heads having different constructions to such an extent thatthose heads can perform different sorts of operations can be replacedwith each other, the substrate-related-operation performing apparatuscan enjoy a high versatility with respect to operations to be performed,and accordingly can enjoy a largely improved applicability. However, thepresent mode encompasses a mode in which a plurality of operationperforming heads having different constructions to perform a same sortof operation can be replaced with each other. As the mounting head as anexample of the operation performing head, there are known various sortsof mounting heads that have different constructions depending upon theirapplications, e.g., mounting heads that employ different numbers ofcomponent holding devices, such as suction nozzles; mounting heads thatemploy different devices that elevate and lower one or more componentholding devices; mounting heads that mount circuit components ofdifferent shapes or sizes; mounting heads that mount circuit componentsat different speeds, etc. That is, there are known mounting heads thatemploy different numbers of constituent elements; mounting heads thatemploy constituent elements having different shapes; mounting heads thatemploy constituent elements that do different movements; or mountingheads that employ constituent elements having different functions.According to the present mode, operation performing heads havingdifferent constructions to perform a same sort of operation can bereplaced with each other, and accordingly the same sort of operation canbe performed in various manners. In this respect, the scope ofapplicability of the substrate-related-operation performing apparatuscan be improved.

(5) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according toany of the modes (1) through (4), wherein said operation performing headcomprises an individual-information recording medium in which individualinformation related to the operation performing head is recorded, andwherein the substrate-related-operation performing apparatus comprises ahead-related-information recognizing portion which recognizes, based onthe individual information, head-related information related to theoperation performing head attached to the apparatus.

When the operation performing head that can be detachably attached isattached to the substrate-related-operation performing apparatus, theusability of the apparatus is further improved if the construction,status, etc. of the head can be grasped by the apparatus. As will bedescribed in detail later, if the construction-related factors of thehead attached to the apparatus can be automatically recognized by theapparatus, the apparatus can automatically carry out, e.g., steps ofpreparing use of the head (hereinafter, referred to as the “head-usepreparing steps”, where appropriate). The head-use preparing stepsinclude selecting a software to drive the head, or calibrating the head,and additionally include judging whether the head is appropriate foruse. The present mode is advantageous when the head-use preparing stepsare automatically carried out.

The head-related information used in the present mode may includehead-construction-factor information, head-status information, etc. thatwill be described later. In the present mode, the operation performinghead has its own individual information. That is, the individualinformation used in the present mode is information recorded in the headper se, and accordingly it can be called “head-stored information”. Theindividual information includes information that is used in obtainingthe head-related information; such as head ID (identification)information representing an ID of the operation performing head, or headtype information representing a type of the head. Theindividual-information recording medium may be a memory element such asa ROM or a RAM, or a medium, such as an in-line package switch, that iselectrically connectable to provide information recorded thereby.Alternatively, the recording medium may be a medium, such as a bar codeor a 2D (two-dimensional) code (also called “QR code”) that isrecognizable by a visual or optical means so as to obtain information.Otherwise, the recording medium may be selected from various sorts ofmedia, for example, a recording medium, such as a tag chip, thatincludes a wireless communication means; or a recording medium thatutilizes, e.g., magnetism. When the operation performing head employs,as the individual-information recording medium, a particular sort ofrecording medium, the substrate-related-operation performing apparatusemploys a means that can obtain or recognize information from that sortof recording medium.

The head-related-information recognizing portion recognizes, based onthe individual information, the head-related information. For example,the recognizing portion may be one that performs calculations based onthe individual information and recognizes results of the calculations asthe head-related information, or one that obtains, by using theindividual information as a key, some information from inside or outsidethe substrate-related-operation performing apparatus, and recognizes theobtained information as the head-related information. Alternatively, theindividual information may contain the head-related information. In thiscase, the head has the head-related information, and the recognizingportion recognizes the head-related information by just obtaining theindividual information.

(6) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according tothe mode (5), wherein the head-related-information recognizing portioncomprises a construction-related-factor-information recognizing portionwhich recognizes, as the head-related information, ahead-construction-related-factor information representative of at leastone factor related to a construction of the operation performing headattached to the apparatus.

In the present mode, the head-related information includes at least onefactor related to the construction of the operation performing head. Thehead-construction-related factor may be head-type informationrepresenting a type of the head, or information representing respectivepositions where various constituent elements of the head are provided.Concerning a mounting head as an example of the operation performinghead, the head-type information may be information that can identify aparticular type of the mounting head, such as a name indicative of thattype; the greatest number of suction nozzles that can be attached to thehead; or shapes, sorts, or mounting speeds of suction nozzles that canbe attached to the head. In addition, the information representing theconstituent-element provision positions may be respective positions in avertical or horizontal direction where holding members that holdrespective suction nozzles are provided in the mounting head. As will bedescribed later, the head-construction-related-factor information can beused as information to select a driver that operates the operationperforming head attached; information to judge whether the head attachedis appropriate for use; or information to determine a reference positionused in operating the mounting head.

(7) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according tothe mode (6), further comprising a driver storage portion in which anoperation-performing-head driver as a software for enabling an operationof the operation performing head attached to the apparatus, is stored;and a head responding portion which stores, in the driver storageportion, the operation-performing-head driver corresponding to theoperation performing head attached to the apparatus, based on thehead-construction-related-factor information recognized by theconstruction-related-factor-information recognizing portion.

Generally, the operation of the substrate-related-operation performingapparatus is controlled by a control device that is essentiallyconstituted by a computer, and the operation performing head, a feeder,etc. is driven according to an exclusive software, i.e., a so-called“driver”. Thus, a driver that operates the operation performing head canbe called “an operation-performing-head driver”, and different sorts ofoperation performing heads need respective appropriate drivers. There isnothing the matter with the conventional substrate-related-operationperforming apparatus wherein the operation performing head thereofcannot be replaced, i.e., is fixed. On the other hand, in the presentsubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus wherein the operationperforming head thereof can be replaced, it is needed to select a driverthat corresponds to the operation performing head attached to theapparatus, more specifically described, corresponding to theconstruction of the head. In the present mode, the driver correspondingto the head can be automatically selected, and accordingly the head canbe easily replaced with another head. In the case where a plurality ofsorts of drivers are prepared, those drivers may be stored either insideor outside the substrate-related-operation performing apparatus. In thelatter case, the selected driver is transmitted from outside to theapparatus. Thus, the present mode is one of the modes that enable thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus to performautomatically the head-use preparing steps when the operation performinghead is replaced with another head.

(8) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according tothe mode (6) or (7), further comprising a position-information obtainingportion which obtains, based on the head-construction-related-factorinformation recognized by the construction-related-factor-informationrecognizing portion, a constituent-element position information relatedto an operative movement of a constituent element of the operationperforming head attached to the apparatus.

The operation performing head is a precise element, but may have somemanufacturing errors. In a substrate-related-operation performingapparatus wherein the operation performing head thereof is fixed,respective positions of the head per se or constituent elements thereofare adjusted after the head is assembled with the apparatus, so that themanufacturing errors of the head may not adversely influence accuracy ofan operation to be performed by the head. On the other hand, in thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus wherein the operationperforming head thereof can be replaced with another head, inparticular, wherein an arbitrarily selected one of various sorts ofoperation performing heads can be detachably attached, manufacturingerrors of each head, or attachment of the head to a deviated positionmay adversely influence the accuracy of the operation. The present modeis for automatically adjusting positions related to the head, so as toeliminate the influences caused by the errors or the like, that is,carrying out so-called “calibration”. For example, based on therecognized information representing factors of the constituent elements,in particular, information representing positions where the constituentelements are provided, the position-information obtaining portionobtains information representing respective positions of the headattached, and the constituent elements thereof, in the apparatus andcarries out, based on the obtained information, adjustments of thepositions corresponding to the head attached. When the substrate-relatedoperation is performed, the operation performing head and the circuitsubstrate are moved relative to each other, the adjustments of positionsinclude modification of pre-set positions related to the relativemovement. Concerning, e.g., the mounting head, it is possible to adjust,based on information representing a position in a vertical or horizontaldirection where a suction-nozzle holding member as a constituent elementof the head is provided in the head, a pre-set position related to arelative movement of a suction nozzle or the mounting head.

(9) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according toany of the modes (5) through (8), wherein the head-related-informationrecognizing portion comprises a status-information recognizing portionwhich recognizes, as the head-related information, a head statusinformation related to a status of the operation performing headattached to the apparatus.

The present mode is for recognizing, based on the individual informationobtained from the operation performing head attached to thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus, the informationrelated to the status of the head. The head-status information mayinclude, e.g., a state in which the head is used, or a state of the headthat is related to an accuracy of an operation performed thereby. Inaddition, the head-status information may include not only a state ofthe head per se, but also a state of the head in relation with theapparatus, e.g., a compatibility of the head with the apparatus. Morespecifically described, the head-status information may be how long thehead has been operated; a time that has elapsed after the lastmaintenance is carried out on the head; a failure rate of the head; or afailure rate of the head when the particular head is attached to theparticular apparatus. The head-status information can be used in, e.g.,judging whether the head is appropriate for use, as will be describedlater. The head-status information may be recognized by gaining, basedon the individual information of the operation performing head, accessto a data base including respective production or maintenance historiesof various operation performing heads.

(10) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according tothe mode (9), further comprising a head judging portion which judges,based on the head status information recognized by thestatus-information recognizing portion, whether the operation performinghead attached to the apparatus is appropriate.

The present mode is for judging, based on the status of the operationperforming head, whether the head is appropriate, i.e., whether it isappropriate to perform the operation using the head attached to thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus. For example, the headjudging portion may judge whether the head per se is in a bad state andaccordingly cannot be used; or whether the head is not compatible withthe apparatus and accordingly the use of the head is not appropriate.The step of judging whether the head attached is appropriate for use maybe carried out as one of the head-use preparing steps. Thus, the presentmode is one of the modes that enable the head-use preparing steps to beautomatically carried out. However, in a different mode than the presentmode, the present substrate-related-operation performing apparatus maybe modified such that the apparatus makes the above judgment based onnot the head-status information but the head-construction-related-factorinformation. In addition, according to a feature of the present mode,the apparatus may make the above judgment based on both the head-statusinformation and the head-construction-related-factor information.

(11) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according toany of the modes (1) through (10), further comprising anoperation-performing-head moving device which includes an X-directionmoving device which includes an operation-performing-head supportingmember to which the operation performing head is attached, and moves theoperation-performing-head supporting member in an X direction along astraight line; and a Y-direction moving device which moves theX-direction moving device in a Y direction perpendicular to the Xdirection, wherein the operation-performing-head moving device moves theoperation performing head on a plane parallel to the circuit substrate.

(12) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according tothe mode (11), wherein in a state in which the operation performing headis attached to the operation-performing-head supporting member, a lengthof a combination of the operation performing head and theoperation-performing-head supporting member, in the X direction, is notmore than 60 mm.

(13) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according tothe mode (11) or (12), wherein a weight of the combination of theoperation performing head and the operation-performing-head supportingmember is not more than 5 kg.

(14) The substrate-related-operation performing apparatus according toany of the modes (11) through (13), further comprising an image takingdevice which takes an image of a fiducial mark affixed to a surface ofthe circuit substrate and which is supported by theoperation-performing-head supporting member such that the image takingdevice is located at a position aligned, in the Y direction, with theoperation performing head attached to the operation-performing-headsupporting member.

In each of the above-indicated four modes (11) through (14), thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus can enjoy a small size,or a small load applied to the operation-performing-head moving device.However, each of the above-indicated four modes is applicable to asubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus wherein an operationperforming head thereof cannot be replaced with another head, i.e., isfixedly provided.

(15) A substrate-related-operation performing head for use with asubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus, characterized in thatthe operation performing head is detachably attached to thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus, and is operated forthe substrate-related-operation performing apparatus to perform anoperation related to a circuit substrate.

(16) The substrate-related-operation performing head according to themode (15), wherein the substrate-related-operation performing apparatuscomprises a substrate holding device which fixes and holds the circuitsubstrate; and a component supplying device which supplies a pluralityof circuit components, and wherein the operation performing headcomprises a mounting head which holds each of the circuit componentssupplied by the component supplying device, takes said each circuitcomponent from the component supplying device, and mounts said eachcircuit component on a surface of the circuit substrate fixed and heldby the substrate holding device.

(17) The substrate-related-operation performing head according to themode (15) or (16), comprising an individual-information recording mediumin which individual information related to the operation performing headis recorded.

The above-indicated various modes of the operation performing head inaccordance with the present invention are preferably employed by theabove-described various modes of the substrate-related-operationperforming apparatus in accordance with the present invention.Therefore, the description of the former modes is omitted here.

(18) A substrate-related-operation performing system comprising asubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus which includes anoperation performing head that is detachably attached to the apparatus,and which operates, in a state in which the operation performing head isattached to the apparatus, the operation performing head, and therebyperforms an operation related to a circuit substrate, thesubstrate-related-operation performing system being characterized inthat the operation performing head attached to the apparatus comprisesan individual-information recording medium in which individualinformation related to the operation performing head is recorded, andthat the system comprises a head-related-information external storageportion which stores, outside the substrate-related-operation performingapparatus, a plurality of batches of head-related informationrespectively related to a plurality of said operation performing heads;and a head-related-information recognizing portion which obtains andrecognizes, based on the individual information, the batch ofhead-related information corresponding to the operation performing headattached to the apparatus, from the head-related-information externalstorage portion.

The substrate-related-operation performing system in accordance with thepresent invention includes the substrate-related-operation performingapparatus wherein the operation performing head thereof can be replacedwith another head, and obtains the above-described head-relatedinformation, from an external device provided outside the apparatus. Thedescription of the present system is omitted with respect to a portionthereof that is a duplication of the foregoing description. Thehead-related-information external storage portion is, e.g., a devicethat is essentially constituted by a computer and functions like a database. As previously described, the head-related information may includethe head-construction-related-factor information or the head-statusinformation. Therefore, the external storage portion may includerespective data bases corresponding to the different sorts ofhead-related information, respectively. For example, the externalstorage portion may employ a data base that stores respective productionhistory of the substrate-related-operation performing apparatus and theoperation performing head, and a data base that stores various sorts ofinformation related to the constituent devices or elements of thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus. Therefore, the presentsystem may employ one or more head-related-information external storageportion or portions. In addition, the head-related-informationrecognizing portion may be integral with, or separate from, thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus. In the latter case,for example, if a management device that is essentially constituted by acomputer, manages a plurality of substrate-related-operation performingapparatuses in an integrated manner, and functions like a host computeris employed by the present system, the management device may be used asthe separate information recognizing portion. Alternatively, theabove-indicated device that functions like the data base may be used asthe separate information recognizing portion.

The substrate-related-operation performing system in accordance with thepresent invention may be embodied such that the head-related-informationrecognizing portion includes at least one of thehead-construction-related-factor-information recognizing portion and thehead-status-information recognizing portion, or alternatively such thatthe head-related-information recognizing portion includes at least oneof the head judging portion, the head responding portion, and theposition-information obtaining portion. Each of thehead-construction-related-factor-information recognizing portion, thehead-status-information recognizing portion, the head judging portion,the head responding portion, and the position-information obtainingportion may be provided integrally with either thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus, or the above-indicatedmanagement device or the device that functions like the data base. Thepresent system may be embodied in each of the above-described manners,i.e., the manner that the operation performing head can be replaced withanother head, the manner that the different sorts of operationperforming heads having the different constructions can be replaced witheach other, and the manner that the substrate-related-operationperforming apparatus is limited to the component mounting apparatus.

(19) A program which is implemented by a computer to prepare for use ofan operation performing head which is detachably attached to asubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus and which is operatedfor the substrate-related-operation performing apparatus to perform anoperation related to a circuit substrate, the program beingcharacterized by comprising an individual-information reading step ofreading, from an individual-information recording medium which isprovided in the operation performing head attached to the apparatus,individual information related to the operation performing head, and ahead-related-information recognizing step of recognizing, based on theread individual information

(20) The operation-performing-head-use preparing program according tothe mode (19), wherein the head-related-information recognizing stepcomprises a construction-related-factor-information recognizing step ofrecognizing, as the head-related information,head-construction-related-factor information representative of at leastone factor related to a construction of the operation performing headattached to the apparatus.

(21) The operation-performing-head-use preparing program according tothe mode (20), further comprising a head responding step of storing, ina driver storage portion in which an operation-performing-head driver asa software for enabling an operation of the operation performing headattached to the apparatus, is stored, the operation-performing-headdriver corresponding to the operation performing head attached to theapparatus, based on the recognized head-construction-related-factorinformation.

(22) The operation-performing-head-use preparing program according tothe mode (20) or (21), further comprising a position-informationobtaining step of obtaining, based on the recognizedhead-construction-related-factor information, a constituent-elementposition information related to an operative movement of a constituentelement of the operation performing head attached to the apparatus.

(23) The operation-performing-head-use preparing program according toany of the modes (19) through (22), wherein the head-related-informationrecognizing step comprises a status-information recognizing step ofrecognizing, as the head-related information, a head status informationrelated to a status of the operation performing head attached to theapparatus.

(24) The operation-performing-head-use preparing program according tothe mode (23), further comprising a head judging step of judging, basedon the recognized head status information, whether the operationperforming head attached to the apparatus is appropriate.

The above-indicated various modes of the operation-performing-head-usepreparing program in accordance with the present invention are relatedto a program for enabling an automatic preparation of the use of theoperation performing head detachably attached to thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus. Since the descriptionof those modes is a duplication of the foregoing description, it isomitted here. It is, however, to be noted that each of those modes maybe embodied in each of the above-described manners, i.e., the mannerthat the operation performing head can be replaced with another head,the manner that the different sorts of operation performing heads havingthe different constructions can be replaced with each other, and themanner that the substrate-related-operation performing apparatus islimited to the component mounting apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a general arrangement of asubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus as an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an arrangement of an operationperforming module constituting a portion of thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conveyor unit employed by theoperation performing module.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a substrate-related-operation performingdevice employed by the operation performing module.

FIG. 5 shows respective perspective views of three mounting heads eachof which can be attached to the substrate-related-operation performingdevice.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a mounting head that can be attached tothe substrate-related-operation performing device.

FIG. 7 shows perspective views for explaining an attaching device thatattaches the mounting head to a head moving device.

FIG. 8 shows cross-section views of a head fixing device that fixed themounting head 21.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view for explaining control functions of amodule control device employed by each operation performing module.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view for explaining a manner in whichsubstrate-related-operation performing apparatuses are disposed in afactory.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart representing a head-use preparing program thatis implemented when an operation performing head is attached.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart representing a head-related-informationrecognition routine as a portion of the head-use preparing program.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart representing a head judging routine as a portionof the head-use preparing program.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart representing a calibration routine as a portionof the head-use preparing program.

FIG. 15 is an illustrative view for explaining a method of calculating aheight position of the mounting head attached.

FIG. 16 is an illustrative view for explaining a method of determining acenter of revolution of a mounting unit.

FIG. 17 is an illustrative view for explaining a method of calculating acenter around which the mounting unit is revolved for indexing.

FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic view for explaining the control functions ofthe module control device that are related to the head-use preparingprogram.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, there will be described in detail, by reference to thedrawings, embodiments of the present invention. It is, however, to beunderstood that the present invention is by no means limited to thedetails of those embodiments but may be embodied with various changesand improvements, such as those described in DISCLOSURE OF THEINVENTION, that may occur to a person skilled in the art.

<Construction of Substrate-Related-Operation Performing Apparatus>

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a substrate-related-operation performingapparatus 1 as an embodiment of the present invention. The substraterelated operation performing apparatus 1 includes a base module 10; aplurality of (eight) operation performing modules 12 that are providedon the base module 10 such that the operation performing modules 12 areadjacent to each other and are arranged in an array; and a controlmodule 13 that is separate from the base module 10 and the operationperforming modules 12 and functions as an operation-performing-apparatuscontrol device. The operation performing modules 12 have a substantiallyidentical hardware construction except for an operation performing head21, described later, and are arranged in a direction in which eachcircuit substrate is fed. In the description of the substrate relatedoperation performing apparatus 1, the direction in which the operationperforming modules 12 are arranged will be referred to as the“left-and-right” direction; and a direction perpendicular to theleft-and-right direction will be referred to as the “front-and-rear”direction. Thus, a left and front portion of the figure will be referredto as the “front” side of the substrate related operation performingapparatus 1; and a right and rear portion of the figure will be referredto as the “rear” side of the same 1. In addition, the left side of thesubstrate related operation performing apparatus 1 is an upstream sideof the apparatus 1; and the right side of the apparatus 1 is adownstream side thereof. Thus, as each circuit substrate is fed from theoperation performing modules 12 located in the left, toward the modules12 located in the right, the modules 12 sequentially perform respectiveoperations related to the each circuit substrate.

Each one of the operation performing modules 12 employed by thesubstrate related operation performing apparatus 1 can function as asubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus in accordance with thepresent invention and, as far as the present invention is concerned,each operation performing module 12 can be construed as thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus. However, as far as thepresent embodiment is concerned, it is construed that the plurality ofoperation performing modules 12 cooperate with each other to function asthe substrate-related-operation performing apparatus in accordance withthe present invention. In addition, though each operation performingmodule 12 can be used with various sorts of operation performing heads21 such as an adhesive applying head or an inspection performing head,it is assumed, in the present embodiment, for easier understandingpurposes only, that the operation performing head with which eachoperation performing module 12 is used is only a mounting head thatmounts a circuit component such as an electronic component on a circuitsubstrate. Thus, each operation performing module 12 functions as amounting module; and the substrate related operation performingapparatus 1 functions as a component mounting apparatus. In thefollowing description, the substrate related operation performingapparatus 1 may be referred to as the component mounting apparatus 1,and the operation performing modules 12 may be referred to as themounting modules 12, where the description is focused on the componentmounting operation as the substrate-related operation.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of two mounting modules 12 out of theabove-described eight mounting modules 12, and shows the right mountingmodule 12 in a state in which a cover member thereof is removed. Asshown in the figure, each mounting module 12 includes a frame 14functioning as a main body thereof; and various devices that aresupported by the frame 14, for example, a plurality of tape feeders(hereinafter, referred to as the “feeders”, if appropriate) 16, arrangedin an array, each of which functions as a component supplying devicethat supplies a plurality of circuit components, one by one, from apre-determined component supplying position; a conveyor unit 20 as asubstrate holding device that has a function of feeding each circuitsubstrate and fixedly holds the each circuit substrate at apre-determined operation performing position; and asubstrate-related-operation performing device 22 that includes anoperation performing head 21, and moves the operation performing head 21within an operation performing area, so that the head 21 performs anoperation related to the each circuit substrate. In the presentembodiment, the operation performing head 21 functions as a mountinghead that holds and takes a circuit component supplied by an appropriateone of the feeders 16, and mounts the component on a circuit substratefixedly held by the conveyor unit 20; and thesubstrate-related-operation performing device 22 functions as a mountingdevice. In the following description, the operation performing head 21may be referred to as the mounting head 21, and thesubstrate-related-operation performing device 22 may be referred to asthe mounting device, where the description is focused on the componentmounting operation.

In addition, each mounting module 12 includes a component camera 24(i.e., a CCD camera) that is provided between a group 18 of the feeders16 (hereinafter, referred to as the “feeder group”, if appropriate) andthe conveyor unit 20 and mainly functions as a component-image takingdevice; a nozzle stocker 25 as a component-holding-device storing devicethat stores a plurality of suction nozzles each as a component holdingdevice, described later; and a nozzle-end-height detector 27, describedlater. Moreover, each mounting module 12 includes a module controldevice 26 (see FIG. 9) that controls itself, i.e., respective operationsof the above-described various devices. In addition, each mountingmodule 12 includes an operation and display panel 28 as an input andoutput device that is provided in a top portion thereof and is connectedto the module control device 26. The operation and display panel 28receives various commands, information, etc. that are inputted by anoperator, and displays information, etc that represents a status of themounting module 12 and the constituent elements thereof, etc.

Each of the feeders 16 essentially includes a tape feeding portion 40and a reel holding portion 42. The reel holding portion 42 holds a reel46 around which a circuit-component tape as circuit components supportedby a base tape and a cover tape (in particular, electronic componentssupported by base and cover tapes may be called an electronic-componenttape) is wound. The tape feeding portion 40 includes a drive source, andfeeds, from the reel 46, the circuit-component tape at a tape feedingpitch equal to a component holding pitch at which the tape holds thecircuit components, such that the feeding of the tape corresponds to theoperation of the mounting device 22. As the circuit-component tape isfed, the cover tape is peeled off the base tape and the circuitcomponents are supplied, one by one, from the pre-determined componentsupplying position. Since the feeders 16 and the circuit-component tapeare well known in the art, no further description thereof is providedhere.

As shown in FIG. 3, the conveyor unit 20 is essentially constituted bytwo conveyor devices, i.e., a front conveyor 72 and a rear conveyor 74.The front conveyor 72 includes two conveyor rails 76, 78 that areopposed to each other; and the rear conveyor 74 includes two conveyorrails 80, 82 that are opposed to each other. Conveyor belts, not shown,are circulated under the conveyor rails 76, 78, 80, 82, respectively, bya conveyor motor 84. A circuit substrate 86 is fed while being supportedby each pair of conveyor belts. The mounting modules 12 employ therespective conveyor units 20, such that the conveyor units 20 arearranged along a straight line in the component mounting apparatus 1.The respective conveyor units 20 of the mounting modules 12 cooperatewith each other to feed the circuit substrate 86. Thus, the conveyorunits 20 cooperate with each other to constitute a substrate feedingdevice of the component mounting apparatus 1. Each of the conveyor rails78, 80, 82 other than the conveyor belt 76 can be moved in thefront-and-rear direction, by a conveyor-width adjusting motor 88, so asto adjust freely a width of each conveyor unit 20. If only one of thefront and rear conveyors 72, 74 is used, a circuit substrate having agreat width can be fed by the one conveyor.

When the conveyor motor 84 is operated or driven, the circuit substrate86 is fed into the operation performing area, and is stopped at theoperation performing position as a pre-determined stop position. Eachconveyor unit 20 has, in a lower portion thereof, circuit-substratesupport plates (hereinafter, referred to as the “support plates”, ifappropriate) 90 that are moved upward and downward by respectiveelevating and lowering devices, not shown. On each of the support plates90, there are provided a plurality of support pins, not shown, such thateach of the support pins can be moved to an arbitrary position. Wheneach support plate 90 is moved upward, the circuit substrate 86 is movedupward while being supported by the support pins, so that the circuitsubstrate 86 is lifted off the conveyor belts and is sandwiched byrespective portions of the conveyor rails 76, 78 or the conveyor rails80, 82, and the support pins. Thus, the circuit substrate 86 is fixed atthe above-described operation performing position. The circuit substrate86 can be released by lowering the support plate 90. Thus, the conveyorunit 20 of each mounting module 12 functions as a substrate holdingdevice.

As shown in FIG. 4, the mounting device 22 includes the mounting head21, and a head moving device 102 (as a mounting-head moving device) thatmoves the mounting head 21 along a substantially one plane within theoperation performing area. The head moving device 102 is a sort ofrelatively moving device that moves at least one of the mounting head 21and the circuit substrate 86 held by the conveyor unit 20, relative tothe other of the mounting head 21 and the circuit substrate 86. Themounting head 21 will be described in detail, later. The head movingdevice 102 is an X-Y-robot-type moving device, and includes a Y-slidedevice 112 as a Y-direction moving device that moves the mounting head21 in the front-and-rear direction (i.e., Y direction); and an X-slidedevice 114 as an X-direction moving device that moves the mounting head21 in the left-and-right direction (i.e., X direction). The Y-slidedevice 112 is supported by a beam member 116 as a portion of the frame14, and includes a Y slide 120 and a Y-axis motor 118 that moves, via aball screw, the Y slide 120 along Y guides 122. The X-slide device 114is supported by the Y slide 120, and includes an X slide 128 and anX-axis motor 126 that moves, via a ball screw, the X slide 128 along Xguides 130. The mounting head 21 is attached to the X slide 128 as anoperation-performing-head supporting member. A device for attaching thehead 21 to the X slide 128 will be described later. The head movingdevice 102 moves the mounting head 21 from the feeder group 18 to thecircuit substrate 86 fixed by the conveyor unit 20, and vice versa. TheX slide 128 supports, in a lower portion thereof, a mark camera 132(i.e., a CCD camera). The mark camera 132 functions as a substrate-imagetaking device, and takes respective images of fiducial marks affixed toa surface of the circuit substrate 86. The head moving device 102 movesthe mark camera 132 together with the mounting head 21.

<Construction of Operation Performing Head, and Manner of Attaching andDetaching the Head>

In the present embodiment, the mounting head 21 as the operationperforming head is attachable to, and detachable from, the head movingdevice 102. More specifically described, an arbitrary one of a pluralityof sorts of mounting heads 21 having different constructions isselected, and the selected mounting head 21 is detachably attached tothe head moving device 102. That is, the mounting device 22 allows asort of mounting head 21 to be replaced with another sort of mountinghead 21. FIGS. 5( a), 5(b), and 5(c) show three sorts of mounting heads21 a, 21 b, 21 c, respectively, each of which can be detachably attachedas the operation performing head 21 to the head moving device 102.Briefly described, the mounting head 21 a, shown in FIG. 5( a), includesa plurality of (eight) mounting units 140 each having a bar-like shape,and intermittently revolves the mounting units 140. Each of the mountingunits 140 has, in a lower end portion thereof, a suction nozzle 142 as acomponent holding device that holds, by suction, a circuit component. Ina state in which the mounting head 21 a is positioned above the feedergroup 18, one of the mounting units 140 is moved downward, so that thesuction nozzle 142 of the one mounting unit 140 may hold a circuitcomponent supplied at the component supplying position of one of thefeeders 16, and take the component from the one feeder 16. As themounting units 140 are intermittently revolved, the mounting units 140sequentially take respective circuit components. In a state in which themounting units 140 hold the respective circuit components, the mountinghead 21 a is moved to a position above the circuit substrate 86 fixedlyheld by the conveyor unit 20. Then, one of the mounting units 140 thatis currently positioned at the same position as the position where eachmounting unit 140 is moved downward to take the circuit component, ismoved downward so that the circuit component currently held by the onemounting unit 140 may be mounted on the surface of the circuit substrate86. As the mounting units 140 are intermittently revolved, the mountingunits 140 sequentially mount the respective circuit components heldthereby, on the circuit substrate 86. Thus, the mounting head 21 a ispreferably used to mount, at a high speed, circuit components having aconsiderably small size. A mounting head, not shown, that is of the samesort as that of the mounting head 21 a but has a different number ofmounting units 140 than the number of the mounting units 140 of themounting head 21 a, may be attached as the mounting head 21 to the headmoving device 102.

The mounting head 21 c, shown in FIG. 5( c), has a single mounting unit140. At a position above one of the feeders 16, and at a position abovethe circuit substrate 86, the single mounting unit 140 is moveddownward. Thus, when the mounting head 21 c is reciprocated one timebetween the one feeder 16 and the circuit substrate 86, one circuitcomponent is mounted on the circuit substrate 86. A mounting speed atwhich the mounting head 21 c mounts circuit components is considerablylow, but the mounting head 21 c can support a suction nozzle 142 havinga considerably large size and accordingly can mount circuit componentshaving a considerably large size or a special shape. Thus, the mountinghead 21 c can be used as a general-purpose mounting head 21. Themounting head 21 b, shown in FIG. 5( b), has two mounting units 140.Thus, the mounting head 21 b has its characteristics that areintermediate between those of the mounting head 21 a and those of themounting head 21 c. A front-side one of the two mounting units 140 has aplurality of suction nozzles 142 that radially extend from an axis lineperpendicular to the axis line of the one mounting unit 140, such thatthe suction nozzles 142 can be revolved around the former axis line andaccordingly an arbitrary one of the suction nozzles 142 can be selectedfor use. Each mounting module 12 can be used with one of theabove-described various sorts of mounting heads 21 that is arbitrarilyselected depending upon the sort of the mounting operation to beperformed. Each of FIGS. 2 and 4 shows the mounting head 21 a employedas the mounting head 21.

The construction of the mounting head 21 will be described in moredetail by reference to the mounting head 21 a shown in FIG. 6. Themounting head 21 a is constructed to include a main body 280 as askeleton thereof, various constituent components or devices thereof thatare provided in respective areas, and a cover member 282 (see FIG. 5).FIG. 6 shows the mounting head 21 a with the cover member 282 beingremoved.

The mounting head 21 a includes a plurality of, e.g., eight mountingunits 140 each of which holds, in a free end portion thereof, a suctionnozzle 142 as a circuit-component holding device. Though not shown, eachsuction nozzle 142 communicates with a negative pressure air channel anda positive pressure air channel via a positive-and-negative-pressureselective supply device 292 (see FIG. 9), and is constructed such that afree end of the each nozzle 142 applies a negative pressure to anelectronic component so as to hold, by suction, the component, andapplies a low positive pressure to the component so as to release thecomponent. The mounting units 140 having a generally bar-like shape areheld by an outer circumferential portion of a unit holding body 294 thatis intermittently rotated, such that the mounting units 140 areequiangularly spaced from each other and an axial direction of eachmounting unit 140 is vertical. Each of the mounting units 140 isrotatable about an axis line thereof, and is movable in the axialdirection thereof. The unit holding body 294 is driven by aunit-holding-body rotating device 298 including, as a drive sourcethereof, a holding-body rotating motor 296 as a sort of electric motor(e.g., a servomotor with an encoder), such that the unit holding body294 is intermittently rotated (also called “is indexed”) at an angularpitch equal to an angular pitch at which the mounting units 140 areequiangularly spaced from each other and accordingly each of themounting units 140 is intermittently revolved for indexing. At a unitelevating and lowering station as one of a plurality of stop positionswhere each of the mounting units 140 is stopped while beingintermittently rotated, the each mounting unit 140 is elevated andlowered by a unit elevating and lowering device 302 including, as adrive source thereof, a unit elevating and lowering motor 300 as a sortof electric motor (e.g., a servomotor with an encoder). Thus, the eachmounting unit 140 being positioned at the unit elevating and loweringstation takes an electronic component from an appropriate one of thefeeders 16, and mounts the component on the circuit substrate 86 held bythe conveyor unit 20. To this end, the mounting unit 140 is lowered by apre-determined distance. In addition, each mounting unit 140 is rotatedabout an axis line thereof by a unit rotating device 306 including, as adrive source thereof, a unit rotating motor 304 as a sort of electricmotor (e.g., a servomotor with an encoder), for the purpose of, e.g.,adjusting a rotation position at which the electronic component suckedand held by the each mounting unit 140 is mounted on the circuitsubstrate 86. The unit holding body 294 is constructed in such a mannerthat the plurality of mounting units 140 are simultaneously rotatedabout the respective axis lines thereof. Thus, the description of thegeneral construction of the mounting head 21 a ends.

The other mounting heads 21 b, 21 c have a construction similar to thatof the mounting head 21 a, but have the following differences: Themounting head 21 c includes only one mounting unit 140, and does notinclude the unit-holding-body rotating device 298 employed by themounting head 21 a. The mounting head 21 b include two mounting units140 each one of which can be elevated and lowered independent of theother mounting head 140. Thus, the mounting head 21 b employs two unitelevating and mounting devices, not shown, and one of the two mountingunits 140 includes a nozzle selecting device, not shown, that selects anarbitrary one of a plurality of suction nozzles 142.

As described above, the mounting head 21 is detachably attached to the Xslide 128, whereby the head 21 is detachably attached to the head movingdevice 102. Hereinafter, there will be described an attaching device fordetachably attaching the mounting head 21 to the head moving device 102.FIG. 7( a) is a perspective rear view of the mounting head 21; and FIG.7( b) is a perspective front view of the X slide 128.

A rear portion 330 of the main body 280 of the mounting head 21constitutes an attachment portion of the head 21; and a front portion332 of the X slide 128 constitutes a support portion of the slide 128.The front portion 332 has a vertical front surface 332 a extending in avertical direction, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 6 and 7(b). The rear portion330 of the main body 280 has, in a lower portion thereof, two legportions 334, and has, in an upper portion thereof, an engaging block336. Meanwhile, the front portion 332 of the X slide 128 has, in a lowerportion thereof, two leg support portions 338 for supporting the two legportions 334, respectively, and additionally has, in a portion thereofabove the leg support portions 338, two lower engaging rollers 340. Eachof the two leg support portions 338 extends substantiallyperpendicularly from the vertical front surface 332 a of the frontportion 332, as shown in FIG. 7( b). In addition, the front portion 332of the X slide 128 has, in an upper portion thereof, a head fixingdevice 342 (see FIG. 4) that engages a portion of the engaging block 336and thereby fixes the block 336, and additionally has, in a portionthereof below the head fixing device 342, an engaging hole 346 that hastwo upper engaging rollers 344 and receives the engaging block 336. In astate in which the mounting head 21 is attached to the X slide 128, therear portion 330 of the main body 280 and the front portion 332 of the Xslide 128 are held in close contact with each other.

Each of the two leg portions 334 has a wedge-like free end that can fitin a V-shaped groove of a corresponding one of the two leg supportportions 338. The V-shaped groove of each of the leg support portions338 has an inclined surface 338 a facing toward the vertical frontsurface 332 a of the front portion 332, as shown in FIG. 7( b). Thus, aposition of the mounting head 21 in the vertical direction can bedefined. In addition, two opposite inner surfaces of respective upperportions of the two leg portions 334 that are distant from each other bya distance smaller than that of respective lower portions of the same334 cooperate with each other to define a space 335 to receive the twolower engaging rollers 340, as shown in FIGS. 7( a) and 7(b), and canclosely engage respective outer circumferential surfaces of the twolower engaging rollers 340. Moreover, two side surfaces of the engagingblock 336 can closely fit in a space between respective outercircumferential surfaces of the two upper engaging rollers 344. Thus, aposition of the mounting head 21 in the left-and-right direction can bedefined.

FIGS. 8( a) and 8(b) show two cross section views of the head fixingdevice 342, respectively. More specifically explained, FIG. 8( a) showsa cross-section view of the X slide 128, taken along a plane passingthrough a center of the same 128 in the left-and-right direction: andFIG. 8( b) is a cross-section view of the X slide 128, taken along A-Ain FIG. 8( a). The head fixing device 342 includes a latch pin 362 thatcan engage a latch roller 360 (see FIG. 7) provided in an upper portionof the engaging block 336. More specifically described, the latch pin362 of the head fixing device 342 is supported by a pin support hole 364provided in an upper portion of the front portion 332, such that thelatch pin 362 is movable in the vertical direction, and the head fixingdevice 342 additionally includes a latch-pin operating device 366 thatmoves the latch pin 362 upward and downward. The latch-pin operatingdevice 366 includes a rod 368 having a certain degree of flexibility; adisc-like cam plate 370 that is fixedly provided on one end of the rod368 such that the cam plate 370 is eccentric with the rod 368; agenerally tubular rod support member 372 that supports the rod 368 suchthat the rod 368 can be rotated about an axis line thereof; and a grip374 that is fixedly provided on the other end of the rod 368 and isoperable for rotating the rod 368. The rod support member 372 of thelatch-pin operating device 366 is fixed to the upper portion of thefront portion 332 of the X slide 128 (see FIG. 7). The latch pin 362has, in an upper portion thereof, a groove 376 that has a width somewhatgreater than an outer diameter of the cam plate 370, and engages thesame 370. When the grip 374 is rotated, the latch pin 362 is movedupward and downward. For the purpose of easily operating the grip 374,the rod support member 372 of the latch-pin operating device 366 has ashape that is downwardly bent so that the grip 374 is positioned at alow position.

When the mounting head 21 is attached to the X slide 128, first, thegrip 374 is rotated in one direction (e.g., counterclockwise as seenfrom a front side of the grip 374, in the present embodiment), so thatthe latch pin 362 is moved upward. In this state, the rear portion 330of the mounting head 21 is held in close contact with the front portion332 of the X slide 128, and then the grip 374 is rotated in the oppositedirection (e.g., clockwise as seen from the front side of the grip 374,in the present embodiment). Consequently the latch pin 362 is moveddownward and, just before the pin 362 reaches the lowest positionthereof, an inclined surface 378 formed in a lower end of the pin 362engages an outer circumferential surface of the latch roller 360. Whenthe grip 374 is further rotated in the same direction, the latch pin 362latches the latch roller 360 by pressing, owing to the effect of theinclined surface 378, the mounting head 21 downward and rearward. Thoughthis state can be kept by a frictional force that is produced between anouter circumferential surface of the cam plate 370 and a lower one oftwo opposite surfaces defining the groove 376, this state is assuredlykept by a torsion spring 380 that is employed by the latch-pin operatingdevice 366 so as to bias the rod 368 in the direction to move the latchpin 362 downward. When the mounting head 21 is detached from the X slide128, the grip 374 is rotated in the above-indicated one direction.

In the present embodiment, the operation performing module 12 can beused with an arbitrary one of various sorts of operation performingheads 21. However, the common attaching device is used to attach each ofthe various operation performing heads 21. Owing to the attachingdevice, each operation performing head 21 can be detached, in one step,from the X slide 128, and can be attached, in one step, to the same 128.The operation performing head 21, attached to the X slide 128, can becontrolled by the module control device 26. To this end, respectiveelectric-power lines and respective control-signal lines of theoperation performing head 21 that are used to drive the respectiveconstituent elements of the same 21 are connected to the head movingdevice 102. This connection can be carried out, in one step, by usingconnectors, not shown. The operation performing head 21 includes amemory chip 400 (see FIG. 5) as an individual-information recordingmedium that records individual information identifying the head 21itself. The memory chip 400 can also be connected to the module controldevice 26. The memory chip 400 is a RAM chip that is backed up by abattery, and in which various sorts of information can be recorded. Theinformation recorded in the memory chip 400 and the manner of use of theinformation will be described later.

<Factors of Operation Performing Head>

In the present embodiment, the mounting head 21 is a small-sizeoperation performing head. In particular, a width of the mounting head21 (i.e., a length of the same 21 in the substrate-feed direction (i.e.,the X direction), in the state in which the head 21 is attached to the Xslide 128, i.e., “x” in FIG. 4) is small, i.e., not more than 60 mm. Outof the above-described three sorts of mounting heads 21 a, 21 b, 21 c,the mounting head 21 a of the index type is used to mount considerablysmall circuit components. The mounting head 21 a includes the suctionnozzles 142 that are provided such that respective centers of thenozzles 142 are located on a circle whose diameter is not more than 40mm. A width of the X slide 128 to which the mounting head 21 is attachedis equal to that of the head 21. Though, in the present embodiment, themark camera 132 as the substrate-image taking device is provided on notthe mounting head 21, but the X slide 128, the mark camera 132 islocated at a position aligned with the head 21 in a directionperpendicular to a widthwise direction of the slide 128 (i.e., the Ydirection perpendicular to the direction of movement of the slide 128).This also contributes to decreasing the width of the X slide 128. In thepresent embodiment, a length of the mounting module 12 in thesubstrate-feed direction, i.e., a width of the each module 12 isconsiderably small. However, since the respective widths of the mountinghead 21 and the X slide 128 are considerably small, the head 21 canmount circuit components in a considerably large range in a widthwisedirection thereof.

Out of the three sorts of mounting heads 21 a, 21 b, 21 c, the mountinghead 21 a of the index type has the greatest weight, e.g., about 2 kg.Since the mark camera 132 is separate from the mounting head 21, theweight of the head 21 is decreased as such. Meanwhile, a weight of the Xslide 128 including the mark camera 132 is, e.g., about 2 kg. Thus, inthe head moving device 102 as the X-Y robot type moving device, theX-slide device 114 moves, as an object to be moved, the mounting head 21and the X slide 128 a weight of a combination of which is not more than5 kg. Thus, a load applied to the head moving device 102 is considerablysmall. Therefore, the mounting head 21 can be moved at a high speed, andthe mounting module 12 can enjoy a high productivity. In addition, sincethe mounting head 21 is light, the head 21 produces less vibration orconsumes less energy.

<Control Device>

The substrate related operation performing apparatus 1 is controlled bythe respective module control devices 26 of the operation performingmodules 12, and the control module 13 as theoperation-performing-apparatus control device that controls theoperation performing modules 12 in an integrated manner. However, anessential portion of the operation performed by each operationperforming modules 12 is performed under control of the module controldevice 26 of the each module 12. FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of arelevant portion of the module control device 26 of each operationperforming module 12.

The module control device 26 is essentially constituted by a computer410 including a PU (processing unit) 412, a ROM 414, a RAM 416, an inputand output interface 418, and a bus connecting those elements 412, 414,416, 418 to each other. The feeders 16 or the feeder group 18, theconveyor unit 20, and the head moving device 102 are connected to theinput and output interface 418 via respective drive circuits 422. Inaddition, the module control device 26 includes a head drive circuit 424that drives the operation performing head 21, and the head 21 isconnected to the input and output interface 418 via the head drivecircuit 424. In addition, the component camera 24 and the mark camera132 are connected to the input and output interface 418 via respectivecontrol circuits 426, and image data indicating the image taken by eachof the two cameras 24, 132 are sent to the input and output interface418 via an image processing unit 428 after the image data are processedby the unit 428. The operation and display panel 28, and an externalstorage device 430 that is essentially constituted by a hard disc as asort of memory are connected to the input and output interface 418. Inthe substrate related operation performing apparatus 1, all theoperation performing modules 12 perform the respective operations whilecommunicating various sorts of signals with each other. To this end, theother operation performing modules 12 are connected to the input andoutput interface 418 via a communication circuit 432. In addition, thecontrol module 13 that functions like a host computer in relation withthe module control devices 26 is also connected to the input and outputinterface 418 via the communication circuit 432, so that the input andoutput interface 418 can communicate signals, information, etc. with thecontrol module 13. That is, the operation performing modules 12 and thecontrol module 13 are connected to each other via a LAN 434. Theexternal storage device 430 stores an operating system, variousapplication programs such as a mounting program corresponding to eachsort of circuit substrate, various sorts of data related to circuitcomponents, etc. When a mounting operation is performed, necessaryprograms and data are sent from the external storage device 430 to theRAM 416 and are stored by the same 416, so that the mounting operationmay be performed based on the programs and data stored by the RAM 416.

Next, the operation performing head 21 will be described in detail. Thediagrammatic view of FIG. 9 shows that the mounting head 21 a as theoperation performing head 21 is attached to the operation performingmodule 12, such that the positive-and-negative-pressure selective supplydevice 292, the holding-body rotating motor 296, the unit elevating andlowering motor 300, and the unit rotating motor 304 are connected to thehead drive circuit 424. Thus, depending upon the sorts of the operationperforming heads 21 each attached to the operation performing module 12,different sorts of actuators, drive sources, etc. may be connected tothe head drive circuit 424. The various devices belonging to theoperation performing head 21, such as the feeders 16 or the conveyorunit 20, are driven by respective exclusive “drivers”, i.e., softwareprograms used to operate those devices. The drivers correspond torespective constructions of those devices. The operation performing head21 is driven by an operation-performing-head driver and, for example,the mounting head 21 a is driven by an exclusive mounting-head driver.The various sorts of drivers are stored by a driver storage portion as aportion of the external storage device 430. For example, when themounting head 21 a is attached to the operation performing module 12,the module control device 26 reads, from the external storage device430, the exclusive head driver corresponding to the mounting head 21 a,and transmits the head driver to the RAM 416, so as to build anoperating program corresponding to the mounting head 21 a. In addition,the memory chip 400 of the operation performing head 21 is connected tothe input and output interface 418, so that the computer 410 cancommunicate information with the head 21.

Though not shown, the control module 13 as theoperation-performing-apparatus control device is essentially constitutedby a computer including a PU, a ROM, a RAM, and an input and outputinterface, and additionally includes an external storage device, aninput device such as a keyboard, an output device such as a display,etc. The control module 13 can communicate various sorts of signals anddata with each of the operation performing modules 12, and controls allthe operation performing modules 12 in an integrated manner. Inaddition, control module 13 functions as a data base that stores varioussorts of data that are needed by the substrate related operationperforming apparatus 1. The respective mounting programs correspondingto the operation performing modules 12 are supplied from the controlmodule 13. Moreover, the control module 13 can enable the substraterelated operation performing apparatus 1 to communicate with externaldevices.

FIG. 10 schematically shows a manner in which a plurality of substraterelated operation performing apparatuses 1 are disposed in a factory.More specifically described, three substrate related operationperforming apparatuses 1 of a same type are provided. The threeapparatuses 1 are connected to each other such that they can transmit,and receive, information to, and from, each other, and each of theapparatuses 1 is connected to various sorts of management computers (twomanagement computers 440, 442 are shown in the figure), so as totransmit, and receive, information to, and from, each other. Thesubstrate related operation performing apparatuses 1 and the managementcomputers 440, 442 are connected to each other via a LAN 444. There arevarious sorts of management computers such as one functioning as a database that stores various operation performing programs corresponding tovarious sorts of circuit substrates, or one functioning as a data basethat stores data representing factors of each sort of circuit substrate.Out of those management computers, FIG. 10 shows a production-historymanagement computer 440 functioning as a data base that stores datarelated to a production history of each substrate related operationperforming apparatus 1, and a module-device management computer 442functioning as a data base that stores information related to themodule's devices such as the operation performing heads 21 or thefeeders 16. When the operation performing heads 21 are replaced witheach other, each of the two management computers 440, 442 functions as ahead-related-information external storage portion that stores, outsideeach substrate related operation performing apparatus 1, head-relatedinformation that is related to each of the operation performing heads21. Information representing how each substrate related operationperforming apparatus 1 has performed production operations is sent tothe production history management computer 440, and the thus sentinformation contains information indicating what sorts of operationperforming heads 21 have been used in the production operations. Inaddition, information related to results of inspection of circuitsubstrates on which operations have been performed, is also sent to theproduction-history management computer 440, and the management computer440 manages, as one of production history parameters, a failure ratewith respect to each of the operation performing heads 21. Theproduction history management computer 440 and the module-devicemanagement computer 442 will be described in detail, later.

<Component Mounting Operation>

Next, there will be briefly described a component mounting operationthat is performed by one mounting module 12 to which the mounting head21 a is detachably attached. A circuit substrate 86 that is fed from theupstream side is stopped, by the conveyor unit 20, at the operationperforming position pre-determined in the operation performing area. Thecircuit substrate 86, stopped at the operation performing position, isfixed and held there by the conveyor unit 20, since thecircuit-substrate support plate 90 is elevated by the elevating andlowering device. Subsequently, the head moving device 102 moves the markcamera 132 to positions above the fiducial marks affixed to the circuitsubstrate 86, so that the mark camera 132 takes respective images of thefiducial marks. Based on image data representing the thus taken images,positional errors of the circuit substrate 86 held by the conveyor unit20 are determined.

Then, the mounting head 21 a is moved to a position above the feedergroup 18, and the suction nozzles 142 of the head 21 a hold, by suction,respective circuit components in a predetermined sequence. Morespecifically described, the mounting unit 140 that is currentlypositioned at the unit elevating and lowering station is moved to aposition above the component supply position on the feeder 16 so as tosupply a circuit component to be taken by that unit 140 and, at thatposition, the unit 140 is lowered while a negative pressure is suppliedto the suction nozzle 142 held by the lower end of the unit 140. Thus,the mounting unit 140 holds, by suction, the circuit component. Afterthe mounting units 140 are intermittently revolved, the followingmounting unit 140 carries out a similar component taking action. Thus,the mounting units 140 of the mounting head 21 a sequentially carry outrespective component taking actions (eight actions in total, in each ofnormal mounting operations).

Then, the mounting head 21 a holding the circuit components are moved toa position above the component camera 24. At that position, thecomponent camera 24 takes, at once, an image of all the circuitcomponents, held by the head 21 a, that fall in a field of view of thecamera 24. Based on image data representing the taken image, respectiveerrors of the circuit components held by the head 21 a are determined.Subsequently, the mounting head 21 a is moved to above the circuitsubstrate 86, and sequentially mounts, in a predetermined sequence, thecircuit components held thereby, on a surface of the circuit substrate86. More specifically described, the mounting unit 140 that is currentlypositioned at the unit elevating and lowering station is moved to aposition above an appropriate component-mount position on the circuitsubstrate 86. To this end, based on the respective determined amounts ofpositional errors of the circuit substrate 86 and the respectivedetermined amounts of positional errors of the circuit component held bythe mounting unit 140, amounts of movement of the mounting head 21 a areadjusted. At the above-indicated position, the mounting unit 140 islowered by a predetermined distance, while a positive pressure issupplied to the suction nozzle 142. Thus, the circuit component held bythe nozzle 142 is mounted on the surface of the circuit substrate 86.After the mounting units 140 are intermittently revolved, the followingmounting unit 140 carries out a similar component mounting action. Thus,the mounting units 140 of the mounting head 21 a sequentially carry outrespective component mounting actions. However, before each mountingunit 140 is lowered in the component mounting action, the mounting unit140 is rotated to an appropriate rotation position, about the axis linethereof, based on a predetermined rotation position at which the circuitcomponent held thereby is to be mounted on the circuit substrate 86, thedetected amounts of positional errors of the circuit substrate 86, andthe detected amounts of positional errors of the circuit component.Thus, the circuit component adjusted to the appropriate rotationposition is mounted on the circuit substrate 86.

Till all circuit components pre-programmed to be mounted have beenactually mounted, the mounting head 21 is reciprocated between thefeeder group 18 and the circuit substrate 86, while repeating thecomponent taking actions and the component mounting actions. After allthe circuit components have been mounted, the support plate 90 of theconveyor unit 20 is lowered by the elevating and lowering device, sothat the circuit substrate 86 is released from the fixed and held statethereof. Then, the circuit substrate 86 is fed toward the downstreamside by the conveyor unit 20. Thus, the mounting module 12 finishes thecomponent mounting operation that is pre-programmed to be performed onthe circuit substrate 86.

In the component mounting apparatus 1 including the plurality ofmounting modules 12, when all the mounting modules 12 finish theirrespective component mounting operations on the circuit substrate 86,the component mounting apparatus 1 finishes its component mountingoperation on the same 86. Thus, the component mounting apparatus 1mounts circuit components on circuit substrates, while the circuitsubstrates are fed, one after another, from the upstream side toward thedownstream side, through the individual mounting modules 12, and theindividual mounting modules 12 sequentially perform the respectivepre-programmed mounting operations on each of the circuit substrates.More specifically described, the circuit substrates are carried, oneafter another, into the upstream-side mounting modules 12, so that themounting modules 12 mount the circuit components on the circuitsubstrates; and the circuit substrates are carried, one after another,out of the downstream-side mounting modules 12, after the mountingmodules 12 have mounted the circuit components on the circuitsubstrates. The carrying-in operation to carry the circuit substratesinto the component mounting apparatus 1, and the carrying-out operationto carry the circuit substrates out of the component mounting apparatus1 may be performed by a carry-in device and a carry-out device that areprovided in the vicinity of the most upstream mounting module 12 and themost downstream mounting module 12, respectively, and each of which isessentially constituted by a conveyor device.

<Preparing Steps Related to Attachment of Operation Performing Head>

As described above, each of the operation performing modules 12 can beused with an arbitrary one of the plurality of operation performingheads 21. When one operation performing head 21 is initially attached toone operation performing module 12, the particular module 12 carries outpreparing steps to use the particular head 21. Hereinafter, there willbe described preparing steps related to attachment of operationperforming head 21, for example, with respect to the case where themounting head 21 a is attached.

The preparing steps related to the attachment of mounting head 21 a arecontrolled by the module control device 26 of the operation performingmodule 12 to which the mounting head 21 a is attached. More specificallydescribed, a head-use preparing program stored by the ROM 414 of themodule control device 26 is implemented by the computer 410. FIG. 11shows a flow chart representing the head-use preparing program. Thepreparing steps will be described below by reference to the flow chart.After the mounting head 21 a is attached, first, at Step S1, themounting head 21 a is recognized. More specifically described,head-related information such as head-construction-related-factorinformation representative of factors related to the construction of themounting head 21 a, or head-status information representative of astatus of the head 21 a is recognized, and accordingly how the head 21 ais constructed or in what status the head 21 a is can be recognized.Step S1 is followed by Step S2 to judge, based on the recognizedhead-related information, whether the use of the mounting head 21 a isappropriate. If it is judged that the use is not appropriate, anoperator is informed of that fact, and the preparing steps are quitted.On the other hand, if it is judged that the use is appropriate, thecontrol of the computer 410 goes to Step S3 to select anoperation-performing-head driver that is suitable for the mounting head21 a, and thereby enable the head 21 a to operate. Step S3 is followedby Step S4 to carry out, based on the recognizedhead-construction-related-factor information, adjustments related to theindexing revolving of the mounting units 140. Step S4 is followed byStep S5 where appropriate suction nozzles 142 are attached to therespective ends of the mounting units 140. After the suction nozzles 142are attached, the control goes to Step S6 to carry out calibration. Inshort, this calibration is to address errors of attachment of themounting head 21 a, that is, adjust and fix the positions to be taken bythe mounting head 21 a during its operation, more specificallydescribed, the command values representing those positions. In theabove-explained manner, the head-use preparing steps are carried out.Hereinafter, there will be described each of the preparing steps, indetail.

i) Recognition of Head-Related Information

Step S1, i.e., the head-related-information recognizing step is carriedout according to a head-related-information recognition routinerepresented by a flow chart shown in FIG. 12. First, at Step S11,head-stored information that is stored by the memory chip 400 of themounting head 21 a is read. Thus, Step S11 is an individual-informationreading step. The head-stored information is individual informationrelated to the mounting head 21 a, and includes head ID datarepresenting an ID (identification) of the head 21 a; and datarepresenting factors related to the construction of the head 21 a, suchas head type data representing a type of the head 21 a, pitch datarepresenting an angular pitch at which the mounting units 140 of thehead 21 a are provided (hereinafter, referred to as the “unit-provisionangle data”, where appropriate), or data representing a height positionof a nozzle holding portion of each of the mounting units 140 relativeto a reference position (hereinafter, referred to as the “unit-heightposition data”, where appropriate). The unit-provision angle data or theunit-height position data are a sort of information related to aposition where a constituent element of the mounting head 21 a isprovided.

Subsequently, at Step S12, the computer 410 reads, from theabove-described module-device management computer 442, data related tothe mounting head 21 a, based on the head ID data read at Step S11. Themodule-device management computer 442 stores a data base includingvarious sorts of information related to various sorts of devices andtools that are present in the factory. The read head ID data are sentvia the control module 13 to the module-device management computer 442.The management computer 442 searches, using the head ID data as a key,for information related to the mounting head 21 a, and sends the thusobtained information via the control module 13 to the module controldevice 26. Thus, the necessary information is read from the managementcomputer 442. The information read from the management computer 442includes the head-construction-related-factor information such as theunit-provision angle data and the unit-height position data. Themanagement computer 442 additionally stores information related tomaintenance of various devices and tools, such that the information isrelated to the head ID data. More specifically described, themaintenance-related information includes data related to date and timewhen the last maintenance was carried out, data related to a cumulativeoperation time of each device or tool after the last maintenance(hereinafter, referred to as the “after-maintenance operation time”,where appropriate), etc. Thus, at Step S12, the after-maintenanceoperation time of the mounting head 21 a attached is read as a sort ofhead-status information.

Subsequently, at Step S13, the computer 410 reads, from theabove-described production history management computer 440, the datarelated to the mounting head 21 a, based on the head ID data read atStep S11. The production history management computer 440 stores a database including respective batches of production history informationrepresenting respective production history of the various sorts ofsubstrate-related-operation performing apparatuses present in thefactory. Each batch of production history information includes datarepresenting a failure rate. At Step S13, the module control device 26sends the above-indicated head ID data identifying the mounting head 21a, and module ID data identifying the mounting module 12 to which thehead 21 a is attached, to the production history management computer 440via the control module 13. Using the head ID data as a key, themanagement computer 440 produces, based on the information storedthereby, data representing a failure rate of the mounting head 21 a withrespect to a pre-determined time duration prior to the current time(hereinafter, referred to as the “predetermined-time-duration failurerate”, where appropriate). In addition, using the head ID data and themodule ID data as keys, the management computer 440 produces datarepresenting a failure rate of the mounting head 21 a in thepre-determined time duration in the state in which the head 21 a isattached to the particular mounting module 12, i.e., a module-relatedpredetermined-time-duration failure rate. Then, the management computer440 sends the thus produced data representing thepredetermined-time-duration failure rate and the module-relatedpredetermined-time-duration failure rate, each regarding the mountinghead 21 a, to the module control device 26 via the control module 13.Thus, at Step S13, the module control device 26 obtains thepredetermined-time-duration failure rate information and themodule-related predetermined-time-duration failure rate information eachas a sort of head-status information.

Subsequently, at Step S14, the computer 410 recognizes, from theinformation read at Steps S11 and S12, information representing factorsrelated to the construction of the mounting head 21 a. More specificallydescribed, first, the computer 410 compares the unit-provision angledata and the unit-height position data read from the memory chip 400,with the unit-provision angle data and the unit-height position dataread from the module-device management computer 442, and judges whetherthose data agree with each other. If, in a state in which the mountinghead 21 a is detached from the mounting module 12, the head 21 a issubjected to adjustment and/or maintenance, those data stored by thememory chip 400 of the head 21 a may be updated. Therefore, if anegative judgment is made at Step S14, the data stored by the memorychip 400 are used to replace the data stored by the module-devicemanagement computer 442. If a positive judgment is made at Step S14, thecomputer 410 stores the unit provision angle data and the unit heightposition data, together with the head type data, etc, in ahead-construction-related-factor-information storage portion as aportion of the RAM 416. Subsequently, the computer 410 recognizes, fromthe information read at Steps S11, S12, and S13, informationrepresenting a status of the mounting head 21 a. More specificallydescribed, the computer 410 stores the after-maintenance operation timedata read at Step S12, and the predetermined-time-duration failure ratedata and the module-related predetermined-time-duration failure ratedata each read at Step S13, in a head-status information storage portionas a different portion of the RAM 416. Thus, the recognition of the headstatus information is finished.

ii) Judgment about Whether Head is Appropriate

Step S2, i.e., the step of judging whether the head is appropriate iscarried out according to a head judgment routine represented by the flowchart of FIG. 13. First, at Step S21, the computer 410 makes a judgmentbased on a head type. In the module control device 26, the RAM 416stores, in a mounting-program storage portion thereof, a mountingprogram that is used when the mounting module 12 performs a mountingoperation. At Step S21, the computer 410 compares the stored head typedata with the contents of the mounting program, and thereby judgeswhether the type of the mounting head 21 a attached to the mountingmodule 12 is appropriate for the mounting operation according to themounting program. If a positive judgment is made, the control of thecomputer 410 goes to Step S22 to make a judgment based on theafter-maintenance operation time of the mounting head 21 a. Morespecifically described, if the stored after-maintenance operation timeis more than a reference use limit time, the computer 410 judges thatthe mounting head 21 a needs maintenance, and accordingly judges thatthe head 21 a is not appropriate, so as to stop a further use of thehead 21 a. On the other hand, if the after-maintenance operation time isnot more than the reference use limit time, the computer 410 judges thatthe mounting head 21 a is appropriate, and allows a further use of thehead 21 a.

If a positive judgment is made at Step S22, the control goes to Step S23to make a judgment based on the predetermined-time-duration failurerate. More specifically described, if the storedpredetermined-time-duration failure rate is more than a reference limitfailure rate corresponding to the particular sort of circuit substratesto be used, the computer 410 judges that the mounting head 21 a is notappropriate. If a positive judgment is made at Step S23, the controlgoes to Step S24 to make a judgment based on the module-relatedpredetermined-time-duration failure rate. It can be said that thisjudgment is made to judge whether the particular operation performingmodule 12 and the particular operation performing head 21 are compatiblewith each other. Like at Step S23, if the stored module-relatedpredetermined-time-duration failure rate is more than the referencelimit failure rate corresponding to the particular sort of circuitsubstrates to be used, the computer 410 judges that the mounting head 21a is not appropriate. The judgment at each of Steps S23 and S24 is madeusing the reference limit failure rate that is pre-set for theparticular sort of circuit substrates to be used in the mountingoperation and is proper to those substrates. For example, in the casewhere a mounting operation needs to be performed with high accuracy, alow limit failure rate is pre-set. The reference limit failure rate isdescribed as a portion of the mounting program, and is read from themounting program, i.e., data representing the program.

If a positive judgment is made at Step S24, the control goes to Step S3.On the other hand, if a negative judgment is made at any of Steps S21,S22, S23, and S24, the control goes to Step S25 to inform the operatorof the fact that the mounting head 21 a is not appropriate. Morespecifically described, the computer 410 controls the operation anddisplay panel 28 to display the fact that the mounting head 21 a is notappropriate, and a reason for the fact. After the fact is informed, thehead-use preparing program is quitted. In response to what is displayedby the panel 28, the operator can remove the mounting head 21 a andattach another mounting head 21 a.

iii) Selection of Driver, Adjustment of Indexing Revolution, andAttachment of Nozzle

At Step S3, a driver is selected. As previously explained, the externalstorage device 430 stores various sorts of drivers corresponding to thevarious sorts of operation performing heads 21. At Step S3, the computer410 selects, based on the recognized type of the mounting head 21 aattached to the mounting module 12, one of the stored drivers thatcorresponds to the recognized type, and sends the selected driver to theRAM 416, so that the selected driver is stored in the driver storageportion of the RAM 416 and an operation performing program correspondingto the mounting head 21 a is built in an operation-performing-programarea of the RAM 416. Thus, the computer 410 becomes able to control theoperation of the mounting head 21 a.

After the driver is selected, the control goes to Step S4 to carry outadjustments about the indexing revolving of the mounting units 140.First, one of the mounting units 140 that is pre-selected as a referenceunit is positioned at a designed angular position of the unit elevatingand lowering station. In this state, the unit holding body 294 isstopped at an angular position, i.e., a rotation stop position for thereference unit to stop at the unit elevating and lowering station.Subsequently, based on the recognized unit-provision angle data, theunit holding body 294 is rotated for indexing, so that the othermounting units 140 are sequentially positioned at the unit elevating andlowering station. In the state in which each of the other mounting units140 is stopped at the unit elevating and lowering station, a rotationstop position at which the unit holding body 294 is stopped is detected,and the thus detected rotation stop position is stored in aholding-body-rotation-stop-position storage portion of the RAM 416. Fromthat time on, when each of the mounting heads 140 is stopped at the unitelevating and lowering station, the rotation of the unit holding body294 is stopped at a corresponding one of the stored rotation stoppositions. Those adjustments of rotation stop positions for indexing arecarried out for preventing a manufacturing error of each of individualmounting heads 21 from adversely influencing the accuracy of mountingoperation to be performed by the each head 21, and they are an exampleof the adjustments of operation performing positions of the mountinghead 21 a based on the head-construction-related-factor information. Inaddition, the adjustments of rotation stop positions for indexing can besaid as a sort of calibration step.

Subsequently, at Step S5, the suction nozzles 142 are attached to themounting units 140 of the mounting head 21 a, respectively. The suctionnozzles 142 to be used with the mounting head 21 a are described in aportion of the mounting program, and the suction nozzles 142 to beattached to the head 21 a are determined according to the mountingprogram. After this determination, the mounting head 21 a is moved to aposition above the previously-described nozzle stocker 25, and themounting units 140 are sequentially lowered and elevated while the unitholding body 294 is intermittently rotated, i.e., indexed. Thus, thesuction nozzles 142 accommodated at respective pre-determined positionsin the nozzle stocker 25 are attached to the mounting units 140,respectively. The suction nozzles 142 can be identified from each otherby respective nozzle ID data. Thus, at Step S5, the nozzle ID dataidentifying the suction nozzle 142 attached to each of the mountingunits 140 are stored in an attached-nozzle-information storage portionof the RAM 416. In addition, length data (described later) representinga length of the suction nozzle 142 attached to the each mounting unit140 is stored such that the length data are associated with the nozzleID data identifying the suction nozzle 142.

iv) Calibration

Step S6, i.e., the calibration step is carried out according to acalibration routine represented by the flow chart of FIG. 14. First, atStep S61, a height position of the lower end of the suction nozzle 142attached to the above-described reference unit as one of the mountingunits 140, is detected by the nozzle-end-height detector 27. To thisend, in the state in which the reference unit is positioned at the unitelevating and lowering position, the mounting head 21 a is moved to aposition where the reference unit is positioned above the detector 27.Subsequently, the reference unit is slowly lowered. An upper surface ofthe nozzle-end-height detector 27 is used as a reference height positionfor the mounting module 12. The detector 27 is adapted to detect a statein which the lower end of the suction nozzle 142 contacts the uppersurface of the detector 27. When the reference unit is lowered till thelower end of the suction nozzle 142 reaches the reference heightposition, the computer 410 measures a stroke of downward movement of thereference unit from an upper, start height position. Thus, in thepresent step, the measured stroke of downward movement of the referenceunit is used as a detected value of the height position of the lower endof the suction nozzle 142.

Then, at Step S62, a head height position, i.e., a height position wherethe mounting head 21 a is attached to the mounting module 12 iscalculated. FIGS. 15( a) and 15(b) illustratively show a method ofcalculating the head height position. In the figure, symbol “H₀”indicates the above-described reference height position; and symbol “H₁”indicates a designed height position where the mounting head 21 a is tobe attached. As previously explained, the unit height position datacorresponding to each of the mounting units 140 are stored in the RAM416. The stored unit height position data represent, on an assumptionthat the mounting head 21 a is attached at the designed attachmentheight position H₁ and a reference nozzle (having a length l₀ withrespect to a portion thereof between the nozzle holding portion and thelower end of the nozzle) is attached to the head 21 a, a stroke L ofdownward movement of the mounting unit 140 that is needed for the lowerend of the reference nozzle to reach the reference height position H₀.FIG. 15( a) shows a downward-movement stroke L₁ corresponding to thereference unit. An actual length l of the suction nozzle 142 attached toeach mounting unit 140 is already stored in the RAM 416, as describedabove. The suction nozzle 142 attached to the reference unit has alength l₁. If, as illustrated in FIG. 15( b), the mounting head 21 a isattached at the designed attachment height position H₁, adownward-movement stroke L₁′ of the reference unit should be measured,as follows: L₁′=L₁−(l₁−l₀). However, if a downward-movement stroke ofthe reference unit is actually measured as L₁″, it means that an actualattachment height position H₂ is deviated from the designed attachmentheight position H₁, as illustrated in FIG. 15( b). Thus, an error ΔH ofattachment of the mounting head 21 a is obtained, as follows:ΔH=H₂−H₁=L₁″−L₁′. Thus, at Step S62, the head attachment height positionis calculated by calculating the attachment error ΔH, and the calculatedattachment error ΔH is stored in a head-attachment-height-positionstorage portion of the RAM 416.

Subsequently, at Step S63, a height position of each of the mountingunits 140 is adjusted. Based on the stored batches of unit heightposition data L₁ through L₈ corresponding to the eight mounting units140 (the suffixed numbers 1 through 8 indicate the first through eighthmounting units 140, respectively; this applies to the followingdescription), the respective lengths l₁ through l₈ of the respectivesuction nozzles 142 attached to the eight mounting units 140, and thecalculated attachment error ΔH of the mounting head 21 a, respectiveheight positions of the mounting heads 140 are determined and commanded.

Subsequently, the control goes to Step S64 to determine, based on imagedata provided by the component camera 24, a center of rotation of eachof the mounting units 140. The suction nozzle 142 attached to the eachmounting unit 140 may not be coaxial with the center of rotation of theeach mounting unit 140, because of, e.g., bending of the nozzle 142.FIG. 16 illustrates a method of determining a center, R, of rotation ofeach mounting-unit 140, based on a position, N1, of the lower end of thesuction nozzle 142 when the each mounting unit 140 takes a referencerotation position, and a position, N2, of the lower end of the suctionnozzle 142 when the each mounting unit 140 is rotated by 180 degreesfrom the reference rotation position. The positions N1, N2 aredetermined based on the image data. More specifically described, therotation center R is determined as a midpoint of a straight segmentconnecting between the positions N1, N2. At Step S64, first, all themounting units 140 are positioned within the field of view of thecomponent camera 24, by moving the mounting head 21 a so that a designedcenter of indexing revolution of each of the mounting units 140 ispositioned at a position on an optical axis line of the component camera24. At that position, the mounting unit 140 being positioned at the unitelevating and lowering station is rotated to determine the rotationcenter R of the mounting unit 140 in the above-described method. In astate in which the mounting head 21 a is kept stationary, the mountingunits 140 are sequentially revolved for indexing, so as to determine arotation center of each of the mounting heads 140. To this end, therespective height positions of respective lower ends of the respectivesuction nozzles 142 of the mounting units 140 are adjusted to be equalto the lowest height position of all those height positions and, in thisstate, respective images of the suction nozzles 142 are taken by thecomponent camera 24. The component camera 24 is disposed such that thethus adjusted height positions of respective lower ends of the suctionnozzles 142 are around the deepest position within a depth of field ofthe camera 24.

Then, at Step S65, a position of the attached mounting head 21 a in ahorizontal plane is calculated based on the respective measured rotationcenters R of the mounting units 140, obtained at Step S64. Morespecifically described, a center of indexing revolution of each of themounting units 140 is calculated. FIG. 17 illustrates a method ofcalculating a center about which each of the mounting units 140 isrevolved for indexing. Since the unit-provision angle data θ₁ through θ₈are stored as described above, it is possible to plot, on a plane, themeasured rotation centers R, based on the stored unit-provision angledata θ₁ through O₈. In FIG. 17, symbols R₁ through R₈ indicate therespective measured rotation centers of the mounting units 140, plottedon the plane. Based on the rotation centers R₁ through R₈, an actualcenter, O′, of indexing revolution can be approximately calculated in ageometric manner. Next, the thus calculated indexing-revolution centerO′ is compared with a designed indexing-revolution center, O, when themounting head 21 a is attached at a designed position. In FIG. 17, theactual indexing-revolution center O′ is deviated from the designedindexing-revolution center O, by an amount ΔX in the left-and-rightdirection and by an amount ΔY in the front-and-rear direction. Thosedeviation amounts, i.e., attachment errors (ΔX, ΔY) are stored in anindexing-revolution-center error storage portion of the RAM 416.

Once the actual indexing-revolution center O′ is calculated, respectiverotation centers of the mounting units 140 relative to the actualindexing-revolution center O′ can be calculated, and accordinglyrespective deviations (Δx₁, Δy₁) through (Δx₈, Δy₈) of the respectivemeasured or actual rotation centers of the mounting units 140 from thethus calculated rotation centers of the mounting units 140 can beobtained. Those deviations are also utilized in adjusting the positionsto which the mounting head 21 a is to be moved, as will be describedlater.

Then, at Step S66, the component camera 24 is used, like at Step S64, totake respective images of the suction nozzles 142 attached to themounting units 140 and determine another or second rotation center ofeach of the same 140. At Step S66, the respective second rotationcenters of the mounting units 140 are determined based on the image dataobtained in a state in which the respective lower ends of the suctionnozzles 142 are positioned at a different height position from theheight position where the respective lower ends of the suction nozzles142 are positioned to determine the respective first rotation centers ofthe mounting heads 140 at Step S64. More specifically described, at StepS64, the lower end of each suction nozzle 142 is positioned around thedeepest position within the depth of field of the component camera 24,whereas at Step S66, the lower end of each suction nozzle 142 ispositioned around the shallowest position within the depth of field ofthe component camera 24 that is lower than the deepest position.However, the second rotation centers of the mounting units 140 aredetermined in the same method as that employed at Step S64, and thedescription of the method is omitted. Thus, the first and secondrotation centers of each of the mounting units 140 are obtained at thedifferent height positions, and accordingly respective second deviations(Δx₁′, Δy₁′) through (Δx₈′, Δy₈′) of the respective actual rotationcenters of the mounting units 140 are obtained in addition to therespective first deviations (Δx₁, Δy₁) through (Δx₈, Δy₈) of therespective actual rotation centers of the mounting units 140, obtainedat Step S64.

Then, at Step S67, the positions to which the mounting head 21 a is tobe moved are adjusted based on the errors (ΔX, ΔY) of theindexing-revolution center of each of the mounting units 140 and theabove-indicated first and second deviations (Δx, Δy), (Δx′, Δy′) (thesuffixed numbers 1 through 8 are omitted) of the each mounting unit 140.More specifically described, the first and second deviationscorresponding to the different height positions, respectively, are usedto obtain a third deviation and thereby estimate an inclination of eachmounting unit 140. Thus, even though each mounting unit 140 may beelevated or lowered to an arbitrary height position, a deviation of therotation center of the each mounting unit 140 at that height positionfrom a theoretical rotation center of the same 140 can be estimated in ageometric manner. Since the attachment errors (ΔX, ΔY) of theindexing-revolution center of each mounting unit 140 are additionallytaken into account, the mounting head 21 a can be moved to an accurateposition corresponding to the particular height position of the eachmounting unit 140, and accordingly it can accurately perform themounting operation. The first and second deviations (Δx, Δy), (Δx′, Δy′)of each of the mounting units 140 are stored in a unit-deviation storageportion of the RAM 416 and, based on those deviations, positions towhich the mounting head 21 a are to be subsequently moved are determinedand commanded.

<Functions of Module Control Device>

In the present embodiment, the preparing steps related to the attachmentof the operation performing head 21 are carried out by the modulecontrol device 26 according to the head-use preparing program, aspreviously described. Various functions of the module control device 26that are involved in the preparing steps will be described below byreference to FIG. 18. Like the foregoing description, the followingdescription will be made on an assumption that the mounting head 21 a isattached.

The module control device 26 includes four main portions that areinvolved in the head-use preparing steps. The first one of the four mainportions is a head-related-information recognizing portion 500 includinga portion that carries out Step S1, i.e., the head-related-informationrecognizing step in which the head-related information is recognizedbased on the individual information of the mounting head 21 a, i.e., thehead-stored information that is stored by the memory chip 400 as theindividual-information recording medium of the mounting head 21 a. Thehead-related-information recognizing portion 500 includes aconstruction-related-factor-information recognizing portion 502 and astatus-information recognizing portion 504. Theconstruction-related-factor-information recognizing portion 502recognizes the head-construction-related-factor information includingthe head type data, the unit provision angle data, and the unit heightposition data, and carries out Steps S12, S14, etc. Thestatus-information recognizing portion 504 recognizes the head-statusinformation including the after-maintenance operation time data, thepredetermined-time-duration failure rate data, and the module-relatedpredetermined-time-duration failure rate data, and carries out StepsS12, S13, S15, etc. The head-related information is recognized in such amanner that necessary information is obtained, using the head ID data asa key, from the module-device management computer 440 and theproduction-history management computer 442 each of which functions as ahead-related-information external storage portion 506. That is, that thenecessary information is obtained means that the head-relatedinformation is recognized. The RAM 416 includes, in ahead-related-information area thereof, ahead-construction-related-factor-information storage portion 508 and ahead-status-information storage portion 510 each of which corresponds tothe head-related-information recognizing portion 500.

The module control device 26 includes, as the second one of the fourmain portions thereof, a head judging portion 512. The head judgingportion 512 is for judging whether the mounting head 21 a attached isappropriate for use, and carries out Step S2. Based on the head-relatedinformation recognized by the head-related-information recognizingportion 500, the head judging portion 512 judges whether the use of themounting head 21 a is appropriate. The head judging portion 512 isdivided into two portions one of which makes a judgment based on thehead type data as the head-construction-related-factor information, andthe contents of the mounting program stored by a mounting-programstorage portion 514 of the RAM 416, and the other of which makesrespective judgments based on the after-maintenance operation time data,the predetermined-time-duration failure rate data, and themodule-related predetermined-time-duration failure rate data, each asthe head-status information.

The module control device 26 includes, as the third one of the four mainportions thereof, a head responding portion 516. In short, the headresponding portion 516 is for carrying out a preparing step to enable acontrol of the mounting head 21 a attached. This preparing step iscarried out by storing the operation-performing-head drivercorresponding to the mounting head 21 a, in a driver storage portion 520provided in an operating program area 518 of the RAM 416. The headresponding portion 516 carries out Step S3, etc.

The module control device 26 includes, as the fourth one of the fourmain portions thereof, a position-information obtaining portion 522 thatis for obtaining, based on the recognizedhead-construction-related-factor information, theconstituent-element-position information as the position informationrelated to the operative movement of each of the constituent elements ofthe mounting head 21 a, and carrying out so-called “calibrations”, i.e.,Steps S4, S6, etc. in the above-described head-use preparing steps.Based on the information stored by an attached-nozzle-informationstorage portion 524 of the RAM 416, e.g., the nozzle length data relatedto the suction nozzles 142 attached, the previously recognized unitprovision angle data and unit height position data, etc., theconstituent-element-position information is obtained. To this end, themeasurement results, such as the images taken by the component camera 24or the height positions detected by the nozzle-end-height detector 27,are used, as needed. In the head-use preparing steps, the following dataare obtained as the constituent-element-position information: therotation stop positions of the unit holding body 294 for the indexingrevolution of each of the mounting units 140; the error ΔH of theattachment height position of the mounting head 21 a; the errors (ΔX,ΔY) of the indexing-revolution center; and the deviations (Δx, Δy) ofeach of the mounting units 140. The thus obtained rotation stoppositions, error ΔH, errors (ΔX, ΔY), and deviations (Δx, Δy) are storedin a holding-body-rotation-stop-position storage portion 528, ahead-attachment-height-error storage portion 530, anindexing-revolution-center-error storage portion 532, and aunit-deviation storage portion 534, respectively, and are utilized incontrolling the operation of the mounting head 21.

1. A substrate-related-operation performing apparatus configured toperform an operation to a surface of a circuit substrate, the surfacehaving a fiducial mark, the apparatus comprising: an operationperforming head which is configured to perform the operation to thecircuit substrate; an operation-performing-head moving device whichincludes an X-direction moving device which includes anoperation-performing-head supporting member to which the operationperforming head is attached, and is configured to move theoperation-performing-head supporting member in an X-direction; and aY-direction moving device which is configured to move the X-directionmoving device in a Y-direction perpendicular to the X-direction, whereinthe operation-performing-head moving device moves the operationperforming head on a plane parallel to the circuit substrate; and animage taking device which is configured to take an image of the fiducialmark affixed to the surface of the circuit substrate and which issupported by the operation-performing-head supporting member such thatthe image taking device is located at an aligned position which isaligned, in the Y-direction, with the operation performing head attachedto the operation-performing-head supporting member.
 2. Thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus according to claim 1,further comprising: a substrate feeding device having an upstream sideconfigured to accept the circuit substrate and a downstream sideconfigured to accept the circuit substrate from the upstream side,defining a feeding direction, the substrate feeding device beingconfigured to stop the circuit substrate, at a predetermined operationposition, wherein the X-direction moving device is configured to movethe operation-performing-head supporting member in the X-directionparallel to the feeding direction, and the operation-performing-headsupporting member has a lower portion configured to support the imagetaking device at said aligned position which is aligned, in theY-direction, with the operation performing head attached to theoperation-performing-head supporting member.
 3. Thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus according to claim 2,wherein the operation performing head is detachably attached to theoperation-performing-head supporting member.
 4. Thesubstrate-related-operation performing apparatus according to claim 2,further comprising a component supplying device configured to supply aplurality of circuit components, wherein the operation performing headincludes a mounting head configured to hold each of the circuitcomponents supplied by the component supplying device, and configured tomount said each circuit component on the surface of the circuitsubstrate stopped at the predetermined operation position, and thecomponent supplying device is aligned, in the Y-direction, with thepredetermined operation position.
 5. The substrate-related-operationperforming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, in a state in whichthe operation performing head is attached to theoperation-performing-head supporting member, a length of a combinationof the operation performing head and the operation-performing-headsupporting member, in the X-direction, is not more than 60 mm.